From Quebec’s legislature, great news for opponents of proposed Energy East pipeline

Legislature’s resolution effectively a vote of non-confidence in National Energy Board review process

No 1186 Posted by fw, November 7, 2014

“We urge the National Energy Board to amend its review of Energy East to consider the full scope of its environmental impacts. We also call on the federal government to end its delays and adopt strong emissions regulations for the oil and gas sector.”—Pembina Institute

A tip of the chapeau for the members of Quebec’s National Assembly for drawing a line in the tar sands. And thanks to the Pembina Institute for their prompt media release on this story, which is copied below.

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Pembina reacts to Quebec’s climate resolution on Energy East by Pembina Institute, November 7, 2014.

TORONTO — Erin Flanagan, analyst at the Pembina Institute, made the following statement in response to yesterday’s resolution in Quebec’s national assembly on the proposed Energy East pipeline:

“Yesterday, members of Quebec’s national assembly took the bold step of calling on the province to exercise its environmental jurisdiction over TransCanada’s proposed Energy East pipeline. Their resolution is effectively a vote of non-confidence in the National Energy Board’s review process for the pipeline.

“The resolution, which passed unanimously, articulates two specific concerns with the current federal approach. First, that the NEB does not consider upstream climate impacts — that is, the impact of producing the crude that would flow through the pipeline — as part of its review. Second, that the federal government still has not adopted carbon emissions regulations for the oil and gas sector.

“Quebec’s elected representatives are adding their voices to a chorus of concern about this pipeline proposal and the environmental impacts of rapid oilsands expansion. Both concerns articulated by the national assembly were also raised by the Pembina Institute in February, as part of an evaluation of Energy East’s climate implications.

“We urge the National Energy Board to amend its review of Energy East to consider the full scope of its environmental impacts. We also call on the federal government to end its delays and adopt strong emissions regulations for the oil and gas sector.”

Background

• The crude production needed to fill the Energy East pipeline would generate an additional 30 to 32 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year — the equivalent of adding more than seven million cars to Canada’s roads.
• Filling the pipeline would help spur an additional 650,000 to 750,000 barrels per day of production from the oilsands.
• The federal government began a sector-by-sector approach to regulating carbon emissions in 2010, and announced it would begin work on the oil and gas sector in mid-2011. Those regulations are now indefinitely postponed.

Report: Climate Implications of the Proposed Energy East Pipeline

Contact

Erin Flanagan (English / français)
Analyst, Pembina Institute
587-581-1701

Bernard Rudny (English / français)
Communications Lead, Pembina Institute
416-993-2455

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